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Chess pie
Simple Southern buttermilk and sugar custard pie
AmericanChess pie is the plain-pantry pie of Virginia, Kentucky and the Carolinas, made with nothing but butter, sugar, eggs and a spoonful of cornmeal, so it was baked year-round when there was no fruit. It sets into a rich, translucent custard with a crackly, golden sugar crust on top. Nobody agrees on the name; one story says a cook called it 'jes' pie'. Chef's tip: the cornmeal and vinegar aren't optional; they stop the very sweet custard from being cloying and help it set.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 10 ½ oz shortcrust pastry
- 4 oz buttermelted
- 10 ½ oz sugar
- 1 tbsp fine cornmeal
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Roll the 10 ½ oz shortcrust pastry to line a 23 cm pie dish, crimp and chill.
15 minStep 2: Whisk the 10 ½ oz sugar, 1 tbsp fine cornmeal, 1 tbsp plain flour and ¼ tsp salt, then whisk in the 4 oz butter.
2 minStep 3: Beat in the 4 eggs one at a time, then the ½ cup buttermilk, 1 tbsp white vinegar and 1 tsp vanilla extract, until smooth.
3 minStep 4: Pour into the pastry case and bake for 45–50 minutes, until the top is golden and crackly and the filling barely jiggles in the middle. A common mistake is overbaking, which makes it weep and grainy.
50 minStep 5: Cool on a rack for at least 2 hours; serve at room temperature.
120 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 400 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chess pie take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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